Sign Painters

Encore Screening! Back by popular demand after it's popularity in our Art, Design and Architecture series

“The title of Sign Painters (3.5 stars out of 4) tells you exactly what this documentary’s about. Yet it’s also highly misleading. Put together with equal parts affection and skill by directors Faythe Levine and Sam Macon, the film is fresh and passionate and unexpected.

“Thirty or so sign painters from all over talk about what they do and demonstrate how it’s done. These guys, and nearly all are male, are smart and funny and full of beans. They’re at once disarmingly practical and full of artistic élan. Clearly, they love what they do.

“The documentary balances the talk with displays of craft. We find out about gold leaf painting and stenciling. Typefaces and colors proliferate. There are truck brushes and dagger brushes and squirrel hair brushes and badger hair brushes. Sign painters are big on brushes.

“It’s that standard cyber-age saga, digital overtaking analog. The debut of sign-making software, in 1982, made professional sign painting seem like a luxury. But people still appreciate fine craftsmanship. In some ways, they now appreciate it even more.” - Boston Globe